Breaking ground for extension building in Hohenlohe
The groundwork for an extension building on the Bürkert Campus Criesbach began back in June 2023: by the end of 2024, a building for plastic production technology with tool construction and building will have emerged on a surface of over 5300 m2. The symbolic breaking of ground on 20 July 2023 will mark the starting signal for the construction of the new building.
Along with Andreas Bürkert as spokesperson for the company, Bürkert was represented by CEO Georg Stawowy and management team members Dr. Udo Gais (CFO), Stefan Müller (CTO), Meike Querengässer (CPO/CHRO) and Jürgen Lorenz, CEO of the Bürkert associated companies, Jürgen Häberle, Plastic Injection Moulding Plant Manager, and Tobias Kindtner, Building Project Manager. The guests invited included Michael Bauer, the Mayor of Ingelfingen, employees from the construction company Stauch and the architecture firm Kraft & Kraft, and representatives of the local press.
By the end of 2024, the new building should be finished and provide sufficient space for plastic injection moulding, tool building and plastic technology, which is currently set up in a neighbouring building, also on the Criesbach Campus. The area released will then be used for expanding the Systemhaus and production, which may then increase its areas by approximately 20-30 per cent.
The new building will therefore provide Bürkert with more space for meeting the requirements of customers in the plastics sector in-house. This is because the entire plastic production process, from the development of a solution to tool building to production, takes place directly at Bürkert in the plastic injection moulding facility.
Sustainability is a focal point in conceptualisation and construction
A sustainable construction method and the practical use of raw materials are a central aspect for Bürkert when it comes to new buildings: this is also the case for the erection of the new building; this has already been demonstrated in the initial work steps, such as packing the floor. Instead of using cement for packing as usual, the company opted for limestone, Construction Project Manager Tobias Kindtner states. Limestone has the advantage of causing less CO2 than cement in production, Kindtner explains.
Wood is mainly used as a building material during construction, as more CO2 emissions emerge during steel production. For example, the storey ceilings in the administration area are manufactured as a wood/concrete composite ceiling. Only local concrete is used for the ceiling layer, which halves the required concrete quantity somewhat.
Predictive planning with raw materials and existing materials should prevent waste. System partition walls that are already in stock will be renovated so that they can be reused in the new building. The new building is also constructed so that the individual elements of the façade can be separated in the event of an extension or dismantlement.
The waste heat from the production plants can be used for heating the building. A photovoltaic system will be installed on the roof and on the façade areas of the building, where practical. With all these measures, Bürkert Fluid Control Systems hopes to contribute to growing sustainably and erecting a new building in keeping with the environment.
